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Friday, 20 July 2012

Yes or No...!

I don't like making decisions. Especially large, could-go-either-way, type decisions.

Hubby and I have been discussing the possibility of me going back to work full time next year while he cut down to part time. Both our jobs would make this switch easy, and part time work would allow him more time to complete his Open-University degree. Plus, he gets to be a semi-stay at home Dad, shunting kids back and forth to Kinder, doing the washing, cooking dinners etc.

But I just don't know if I can do it....yet. Can I give up that lovely home time with the kids? Do I want to give up that delicius feeling of Wednesday nights being the end of my working week? Can I miss meeting my friends from Mother's Group every Thursday?

The financial benefits of us swapping would be helpful, as well as the job-satisfaction of starting something and being there at the end of the week to finish it.

BUT....

The kids are only young once and I don't want to miss anything.

Even though Megan will be at 4yr old Kinder 3 days a week next year, Alex will only do 3yr old Kinder once a week. Hubby really wouldn't get that much time to himself to study.

Once I'm full time, I think it will be very hard to go back to part time if I needed to.

Hubby loves working and might struggle being home so much.

Are these valid reasons for things to stay as they are? Or am I being selfish and not allowing him the special time of being at home with the kids?

Please weigh in to this debate...I'd love to know your thought and opinions!!!

4
comments:

Tracey
said...

Linda,from experience the kinder year leaves you very little time to do much else but run back and forth to drop off and pick up, plus the times you have to be there on kinder duty, special days, etc. Its a hard call and one that each family needs to decide for themselves, but i wouldnt have missed the experience for the world. they are only that little for such a short perriod of time. you blink and all of a sudden they are at high school! Tracey.

It's a really tough decision to make. I guess the finacial benefits of you going back to work full time would be huge and even if Mike got one day for studying it would be beneficial, plus he could do with spending done quality tIme with the kids to make up for previous years. However it sounds like your not quite ready yet to go back full time and you don't want to end up resenting the situation, work, the kids in ur class or Mike because your missing that time with Megan and Alex. Weigh up what's more important: money vs who spends quality time? I knOw what it's like to work full time and give anything to even have 1 day with Tahlia. But I think I would certainly feel better if it were my husband at home looking after them compared to fill time care and if I was earning more money than Ryan u would work and he would stay at home!

Thanks ladies. I would definitely want to stay home for as long as I can with the kids but I also don't want to deny mMike the chance of getting that quality time that is so often given to mums. Guilt is a huge motivator- either way!!!

Ah, that is a tough decision indeed! I'm really, really glad that Jase would go batty staying at home, and we both agree that I'm a nicer person when I'm not working full time, so it is an easy decision in our house. I would really find it hard if Jase wanted to stay home with the kids, with feeling guilty that I was hogging all the kid time.

But I reckon there would be pros and cons to both situations, so whatever decision you make, rest in the decision once it is done. Hope you are able to decide together on something that makes you both happy, and without too much more angst!